If one rich man gives you an opportunity to learn something, would you grab it or ignore it? Of course, most of us will take this advantage because every one in this world wants to improve themselves in order for them to socialize with high class society. That has happened to Eliza in Pygmalion, a very interesting play by Bernard Shaw. Eliza has been given an opportunity to learn language that has been used by high class society. Even though it just a bet between the two gentlemen, Higgins and Pickering, still she can be considered as lucky because learn something without paying the fee.
In this play we can see two different class of society meet and convey their own lifestyle. As for Eliza and her father, Mr. Doolittle, they present the middle class society who will change in the end of the play. While the other characters like Higgins, Pickering and so on, they present the high class society that will look down on other class because they are superior. As the dialogues goes on, we can see Eliza moves from one character to another character. In this play, it shows that language is an important tool to differentiate a class in a society.
As we all know language is important because it convey ourselves and the way we behave. However, even though we are in high class society we should respect other no matter what class they are from. For instance, Pickering who still respects Eliza and call her Miss even though he knows that she comes from a middle class society. This play teaches the audiences to respect each other because we cannot see people based on their spoken language or class, but look at their attitude and the way they behave toward others. For example, when Eliza has successfully changed into a high class society, she still sad because Higgins see her as a flower girl who comes from middle class. He cannot see Eliza as what she is but see Eliza as a subject for his experiment.
From the play Pygmalion, we can conclude that language and attitude are two important criteria should have in one life because both of them will help other see who we are and what kind of person we are.
posted by puspa suriati wahid @ 6:44 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I agree with what Puspa had said about how the use of language and attitude in a person influence the perception of others on him or her. First impression always plays an important role during a meeting. People will create one's image through his speech, attitude and also behaviour. They will judge a person by their entire appearance. Then, they will identify and guess whether one is from a higher or working class society. Therefore, by learning how to dress well and speak well, Eliza has fooled the people in the house people as they even think that she is a princess. However, I feel that other's perception on one self is not as important as what one really has in him. The knowlege that one has is useful only to himself. It is no use that one succeeds to act that he is knowledgeable enough but in real, he is nothing.
I must say that I agreed with you Puspa. In a way, people judge others not only by their appearance, but also through the way they speak. If a girl, dress nicely but speaks horribly, people still would not respect her. in other way, I also see this play as a reflection to our future. Professor Higgins’ characteristics should be an example and reminder to us.
Higgins, as a teacher, does not respect his student, Eliza. He mentioned that his treatment to everybody is the same. We, as future teacher should not do the same thing. Some of the kids are not as bright as other kids. Therefore, we should not discriminate them. I think that’s all my opinion. Thank you.
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